{{SCOTUS-justice-listframe
, firstname=Stephen
, lastname=Breyer
, image=File:Stephen Breyer, SCOTUS photo portrait.jpg
, term=2011
, tenurecount=eighteenth
, startdate=October 3, 2011
, enddate=September 30, 2012
, majority=7
, concurrence=5
, concurrencedissent=0
, dissent=10
, other=0
, benchcount=22
, relatingtoorders=0
, inchambers=0
, unanimous=1
, mostjoinedby=Kagan (12)
, leastjoinedby=Scalia (2)
, url-courtopinions=https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/slipopinion/11
, url-relatingtoorders=https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/relatingtoorders/11
, url-inchambers=https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/in-chambers/11
, accessdate=October 23, 2012
, opinionstemplate=Stephen Breyer opinions
, courttemplate=SCOTUSterm2010-2015
, entries=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=01
, case=Minneci v. Pollard
, type=majority
, volume=565
, page=118
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Eighth Amendment {{*
cruel and unusual punishment
Cruel and unusual punishment is a phrase in common law describing punishment that is considered unacceptable due to the suffering, pain, or humiliation it inflicts on the person subjected to the sanction. The precise definition varies by jurisd ...
{{*
privately-run prison {{* adequate alternative causes of action under state tort law
, joined=Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Scalia , , otheropinion1type=concurrence , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Antonin Scalia#Minneci v. Pollard
, otheropinion2author=Ginsburg , , otheropinion2type=dissent , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Ruth Bader Ginsburg#Minneci v. Pollard
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=02
, case=Golan v. Holder
, type=dissent
, volume=565
, page=302
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
copyright {{*
Berne Convention {{*
public domain
, joined=Alito
, otheropinion1author=Ginsburg , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Ruth Bader Ginsburg#Golan v. Holder
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=03
, case-article=Reynolds v. United States (2012)
, case-display=Reynolds v. United States
, type=majority
, volume=565
, page=432
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act is a federal statute that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on July 27, 2006. The Walsh Act organizes sex offenders into three tiers according to the crime committed, and mand ...
{{* applicability to pre-Act offenders
, joined=Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Scalia , , otheropinion1type=dissent , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Antonin Scalia#Reynolds v. United States
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=04
, case=Wetzel v. Lambert
, type=dissent
, volume=565
, page=520
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Brady disclosure
''Brady'' disclosure consists of exculpatory or impeaching information and evidence that is material to the guilt or innocence or to the punishment of a defendant. The term comes from the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case ''Brady v. Maryland'', in wh ...
{{* materiality of police notes to
witness impeachment
Witness impeachment, in the law of evidence of the United States, is the process of calling into question the credibility of an individual testifying in a trial. The Federal Rules of Evidence contain the rules governing impeachment in US federal ...
, joined=Ginsburg, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=per curiam , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States#Wetzel v. Lambert
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=05
, case=Messerschmidt v. Millender
, type=concurrence
, volume=565
, page=535
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Fourth Amendment {{* law enforcement reliance on overbroad
search warrant {{*
qualified immunity
, joined=
, otheropinion1author=Roberts , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts#Messerschmidt v. Millender
, otheropinion2author=Kagan , , otheropinion2type=concurrencedissent , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Elena Kagan#Messerschmidt v. Millender
, otheropinion3author=Sotomayor , , otheropinion3type=dissent , , otheropinion3link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor#Messerschmidt v. Millender
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=06
, case=Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern Cal., Inc.
, type=majority
, volume=565
, page=606
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Medicaid {{* state law reduction of payments to providers {{* review by
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services {{* private action to enforce federal reimbursement criteria {{*
Supremacy Clause
, joined=Kennedy, Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Roberts , , otheropinion1type=dissent , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts#Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern Cal., Inc.
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=07
, case=Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc.
, type=majority
, volume=566
, page=66
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
patent law {{* laws of nature exemption from patentability {{* diagnostic test of drug potency
, joined=Unanimous
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=08
, case=Zivotofsky v. Clinton
, type=dissent
, volume=566
, page=189
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
political question doctrine
In United States constitutional law, the political question doctrine holds that a constitutional dispute that requires knowledge of a non-legal character or the use of techniques not suitable for a court or explicitly assigned by the Constitution ...
{{*
U.S. position on status of Jerusalem {{* Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 {{*
passport
A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. A passport certifies the personal ...
designation of births in Jerusalem
, joined=
, otheropinion1author=Roberts , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts#Zivotofsky v. Clinton
, otheropinion2author=Alito , , otheropinion2type=concurrence , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#Zivotofsky v. Clinton
, otheropinion3author=Sotomayor , , otheropinion3type=concurrence , , otheropinion3link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor#Zivotofsky v. Clinton
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=09
, case=Setser v. United States
, type=dissent
, volume=566
, page=231
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 {{* federal court discretion to order consecutive or concurrent sentences in anticipation of state court sentence
, joined=Kennedy, Ginsburg
, otheropinion1author=Scalia , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Antonin Scalia#Setser v. United States
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=10
, case=Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington
, type=dissent
, volume=566
, page=318
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Fourth Amendment {{*
strip searches in jail of arrestees of minor offenses
, joined=Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Kennedy , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Anthony Kennedy#Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington
, otheropinion2author=Roberts , , otheropinion2type=concurrence , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts#Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington
, otheropinion3author=Alito , , otheropinion3type=concurrence , , otheropinion3link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=11
, case=Mohamad v. Palestinian Authority
, type=concurrence
, volume=566
, page=449
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Torture Victim Protection Act {{* liability of organizations
, joined=
, otheropinion1author=Sotomayor , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor#Mohamad v. Palestinian Authority
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=12
, case=United States v. Home Concrete & Supply, LLC
, type=majority
, volume=566
, page=478
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Internal Revenue Code of 1954 {{* overstatement of basis in property {{*
statute of limitations for tax deficiency
, joined=Roberts, Thomas, Alito; Scalia (in part)
, otheropinion1author=Scalia , , otheropinion1type=concurrence , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Antonin Scalia#United States v. Home Concrete & Supply, LLC
, otheropinion2author=Kennedy , , otheropinion2type=dissent , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Anthony Kennedy#United States v. Home Concrete & Supply, LLC
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=13
, case=Hall v. United States
, type=dissent
, volume=566
, page=506
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
{{*
priority of taxation on post-petition sale of farm assets
, joined=Kennedy, Ginsburg, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Sotomayor , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor#Hall v. United States
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=14
, case=Armour v. Indianapolis
, type=majority
, volume=566
, page=673
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Equal Protection Clause
The Equal Protection Clause is part of the first section of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The clause, which took effect in 1868, provides "''nor shall any State ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal ...
{{* disparate tax treatment {{* administrative justifications under
rational basis review
, joined=Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Roberts , , otheropinion1type=dissent , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts#Reichle v. Howards
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=15
, case=Williams v. Illinois
, type=concurrence
, volume=567
, page=50
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Sixth Amendment {{*
Confrontation Clause {{*
expert testimony
, joined=
, otheropinion1author=Alito , , otheropinion1type=plurality , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#Williams v. Illinois
, otheropinion2author=Thomas , , otheropinion2type=concurrence , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Clarence Thomas#Williams v. Illinois
, otheropinion3author=Kagan , , otheropinion3type=dissent , , otheropinion3link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Elena Kagan#Williams v. Illinois
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=16
, case=Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp.
, type=dissent
, volume=567
, page=142
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) is a United States labor law that creates the right to a minimum wage, and "time-and-a-half" overtime pay when people work over forty hours a week. It also prohibits employment of minors in "oppres ...
{{* exemption of outside salesmen from
overtime regulations {{* status of pharmaceutical sales representatives
, joined=Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Alito , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp.
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=17
, case=Dorsey v. United States
, type=majority
, volume=567
, page=260
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 {{*
Fair Sentencing Act
The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 () was an Act of Congress that was signed into federal law by United States President Barack Obama on August 3, 2010 that reduces the disparity between the amount of crack cocaine and powder cocaine needed to tri ...
{{*
mandatory minimum setencing {{* applicability of post-Act sentencing to pre-Act offenders
, joined=Kennedy, Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Scalia , , otheropinion1type=dissent , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Antonin Scalia#Dorsey v. United States
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=18
, case=Knox v. Service Employees
, type=dissent
, volume=567
, page=298
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
mootness due to voluntary cessation {{*
First Amendment {{* compulsory fees for political
lobbying by
public sector agency shop
, joined=
, otheropinion1author=Alito , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#Knox v. Service Employees
, otheropinion2author=Sotomayor , , otheropinion2type=concurrence , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor#Knox v. Service Employees
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=19
, case=Southern Union Co. v. United States
, type=dissent
, volume=567
, page=343
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, is the principal federal law in the United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste.United States. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. , , ''et seq., ...
{{*
Sixth Amendment {{*
right to jury determination of facts relating to criminal fines
, joined=Kennedy, Alito
, otheropinion1author=Sotomayor , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor#Southern Union Co. v. United States
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=20
, case=Miller v. Alabama
, type=concurrence
, volume=567
, page=460
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Eighth Amendment {{*
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Cruel and unusual punishment is a phrase in common law describing punishment that is considered unacceptable due to the suffering, pain, or humiliation it inflicts on the person subjected to the sanction. The precise definition varies by jurisd ...
{{* sentencing of juveniles to
life without parole
, joined=Sotomayor
, otheropinion1author=Kagan , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Elena Kagan#Miller v. Alabama
, otheropinion2author=Roberts , , otheropinion2type=dissent , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of John Roberts#Miller v. Alabama
, otheropinion3author=Thomas , , otheropinion3type=dissent , , otheropinion3link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Clarence Thomas#Miller v. Alabama
, otheropinion4author=Alito , , otheropinion4type=dissent , , otheropinion4link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#Miller v. Alabama
, summary=
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=21
, case=American Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Bullock
, type=dissent
, volume=567
, page=516
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
First Amendment {{*
free speech {{*
campaign finance reform Campaign finance reform may refer to:
* Reform of campaign finance
Campaign finance, also known as election finance or political donations, refers to the funds raised to promote candidates, political parties, or policy initiatives and referen ...
{{*
corporate personhood
, joined=Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan
, otheropinion1author=per curiam , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States#American Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Bullock
, summary=Breyer dissented from the Court's brief ''per curiam'' decision, which held that a Montana state law banning political expenditures by corporations was precluded by ''
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
''Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission'', 558 U.S. 310 (2010), was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States regarding campaign finance laws and free speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It wa ...
''. Breyer wrote that he disagreed with the holding in ''Citizens United'' and would support reconsidering it. Even accepting that decision, however, Breyer did not believe it precluded a finding that Montana had a compelling state interest in limiting corporate political expenditures in light of the particular "history and political landscape in Montana."
{{SCOTUS-justice-listentry
, #=22
, case=United States v. Alvarez
, type=concurrence
, volume=567
, page=709
, year=2012
, wikisource=
, issues=
Stolen Valor Act of 2005
The Stolen Valor Act of 2005, signed into law by President George W. Bush on December 20, 2006, was a U.S. law that broadened the provisions of previous U.S. law addressing the unauthorized wear, manufacture, or sale of any military decoration ...
{{*
First Amendment {{*
freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...
{{* protection of false statements
, joined=Kagan
, otheropinion1author=Kennedy , , otheropinion1type=majority , , otheropinion1link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Anthony Kennedy#United States v. Alvarez
, otheropinion2author=Alito , , otheropinion2type=dissent , , otheropinion2link=2011 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Samuel Alito#United States v. Alvarez
, summary=